MIGRATION, STOPOVER AND MOLT OF THE GREAT REED WARBLER ACROCEPHALUS-ARUNDINACEUS IN GHANA, WEST-AFRICA

We studied Great Reed Warblers Acrocephalus arundinaceus at two locali ties in Ghana during the winter. In the north (Tono), the birds arrive d from late September and conducted a rapid moult soon after arrival. Towards the end of moult, birds accumulated fat and disappeared from t he site. In the south (Tafo), birds arrived from mid-November in fresh plumage. This seemed to be the final wintering area as birds stayed t here during the winter. In March-April they again accumulated fat, alt hough only small amounts, before spring migration back to breeding are as.